Trumping a New Foreign Policy.docVIP

Trumping a New Foreign Policy 　　With the conclusion of both party conventions， the turbulent 2016 election process in the United States now enters its final phase. The situation at home and abroad lends to this election a sense of deep dissatisfaction and trepidation among voters. Whatever the result in November， many see the event as an existential turning point for the nation. 　　Both the Republican and Democratic parties have significant internal factional divisions， with Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders bringing these internal contradictions to a head in their respective parties this year. 　　 The election mosaic 　　These contradictions reflect a fundamental political split between factions supported by the financiers of “Wall Street” and “Main Street，”which represents the working class groups opposed to the corporate power behind the political scene. 　　On the Republican side， Trump advocates a political line rooted in nationalism and populism， encapsulated by his slogan， “make America great again.” Thus， he opposes the Wall Street-backed establishment and is reasonably popular among Main Street cadres composed of the middle class and small business owners. Like Ronald Reagan， he also appeals to the bluecollar working class. 　　On the Democratic side， Sanders favors progressive policies and is opposed to vested interests. His strongest support comes from young idealistic voters as well as more generally from among liberals and progressives. Despite espousing a very different type of politics to Trump， Sanders is also highly critical of the Wall Street-backed establishment. 　　However， Sanders， to the dismay of some of his most ardent supporters， finally endorsed Hilary Clinton， who many consider to be a creature of Wall Street. While many Americans are well aware of Wall Street and its machinations， this may not be so apparent to international observers who rely on U.S. mainstream media. The hostile media coverage toward Trump and Sanders may therefore surp